Pad filling apparatus



Nov. 10, 1936. T. L. M JOYNT PAD FILLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 10, 1936. T. L. McJOYNT PAD FILLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1936. T. L. M JOYNT PAD FILLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 W X B Nov. 10, 1936. T. 1.. M JOYNT PAD FILLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 u baqw m vmm Nov. 10, 1936. T. L. M JOYNT PAD FILLING APPARATUS WW VLF/MU? 5/ W W 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I JZM fi/ Filed Sept. 18, 1934 pads of automobile cushions and the like.

' general principle of filling the pad is much the Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAD FILLING APPARATUS Thomas L. McJoynt, Janesville, Wis.

Application September 18, 1934, Serial No. 744,574

22 Claims.

My invention relates to pad filling machinery and particularly to that type of equipment utilized to blast cotton under air pressure into the The same as that disclosed in my Patent Number 1,828,673 granted October 20, 1931 and co-pending application, Serial Number 709,685 filed February 5, 1934 covering multiple filling of pads.

In the last mentioned application I describe and claim a mechanism for dividing massed broken-up cotton in a manner as to permit uniform distribution (as to weight and quantity) of cotton to the several pipes in a pad simultanel5 ously. This invention describes still another means for distributing cotton to a number of pipes in a pad simultaneously and the cotton so delivered will be uniform as to weight and quantity 7 in each pipe.

As explained in my preceding application above named, in the blasting of cotton into a series of pad pipes simultaneously with my methodof filling, it is essential that the cotton blasted from the nozzles into the pad pipes be of uniform weight and quantity, the reason being that my process for filling requires that the multiple nozzles be inserted into front open ends of the pipes and forced to the rear thereof, and then manually .drawn away from the said rear end simultaneously. Were the weight and quantity of the cotton delivered from the various nozzles not the same, one or more of the pipes in the series would fill more or less quickly than others and I those that filled faster would soon build up sufficient cotton ahead of them as to plug the nozzle or nozzles, necessitating a shut-down of the equipment to clear the said plugged nozzle or nozzles.

Cotton, as is well known in the trade, has a consistency that makes it exceedingly hard to mechanically divide into given uniform quantities. Therefore, it is necessary to the successful operation of my multiple filling process that special l equipment be used to divide cotton after it leaves the picker as to permit a uniform flow of the material to the multiple nozzles.

The device described and claimed herein accomplishes that result and for a better under- .standing of the mechanism, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side plan view of the cotton distributing mechanism and various related parts;

Fig. 2 is a front plan view of the distributor housing;

Fig. 3 is a view partially in plan and partially fragmentary of the distributor housing and related parts;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the distributor housing on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side plan view of the assembled 5 mechanism. showing the means for connecting and disconnecting it from a pad to be filled;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 86 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a view partially in plan and partially 10 fragmentary of the mechanism for driving the rotating distributing nozzle;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the front end of the distributor housing disclosing the means for connecting the exhaust apertures in said hous- 5 ing with one of the stationary supply nozzles.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a plug adapted to be used to decrease the amount of cotton supply to any one nozzle;

Fig. 10 is a View partially in plan and partially perspective of the multiple nozzle and sleeve assembly in which the delivery nozzles and corresponding sleeves vary in size as to permit filling of pads having varying size pipes.

Fig. 11 discloses the preferred means for assembling associated sleeves as to form a solid unit; 25 and Fig. 12 shows one of the sleeves assembled on the cross member.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 will be general- 6 ly used to indicate a circular distributor housing which is formed of metal, the side wall of which is dished and angled as to partially inclose a dis-v tributor nozzle H. The front solid face of the said housing is pressed inwardly as to form an each of the said exhaust orifices IS. The offset rotating distributor nozzle H is fixedly attached to a hollow drive member M, which drive member passes through bearings l5 and I6 which are, in turn, aflixed to a base l1. A drive pulley I 8 is mounted on the rotating hollow shaft and the t assembly is driven through the medium of drive belt and motor 19 and 20. A stationary supply pipe 2| telescopes the rotating hollow drive member and thus interconnects a blast fan 22 with the distributor nozzle. The suction side of a blast fan 5 22 is connected with the exhaust end of a standard cotton picker 23 by a pipe 24 and the vacuum created by the said fan 22 when in operation sucks the cotton from the picker to the fan, whereupon it is exhausted from the pressure outlet of the said fan and, by pressure, forced to the distributing nozzle.

A by-pass valve 25 is positioned in the supply pipe 2| between the blast fan 22 and the hollow drive member I4 and an exhaust pipe 26 interconnects the by-pass and the picker, suction being applied to the said exhaust pipe through the medium of a suction fan 21 so that when, during the process, it is necessary to out 01f the fiow of material to the nozzles, the operator, through the medium of a rope 28, operates the by-pass valve 25 as to divert the flow of cotton from the nozzles back to the picker.

An exhaust orifice 29 is located in the bottom of the distributor housing and, through the medium of a pipe 30, connects with the blast fan 22 and the vacuum created by the said blast fan will cause that part of the cotton which was not exhausted into the orifices l3 to be carried back to the said blast fan for reworking. The conical baffle l2 will permit cotton which is not drawn into any of the orifices l3 to be baffled away from adjacent orifices as to prevent the said waste cotton from being sucked into the exhaust orifices. This precaution is taken as to insure uniformity of the supply of cotton to each filling nozzle.

Supply pipes 3| interconnect exhaust orifices [3 with fixed nozzles A, B and C, and attention is drawn to Fig. 4 which discloses the exhaust orifices in the inner face of the distributor housing. For the purpose of clarifying the description of the connection of the exhaust orifices to the individual fixed nozzles, each of the orifices are lettered as to indicate the nozzle that it connects and the fixed nozzles are correspondingly lettered.

It is to be noted that the supply of cotton to each of the fixed nozzles is intermittent. In other words, as the distributor nozzle rotates, the cotton blasted therefrom will be drawn into nozzles A, B and C intermittently, the purpose of which will be explained hereafter.

Blast fans 32, 33 and 34 driven by a common shaft 35 supply air under pressure to respective nozzles C, B and A and due to the angled attachment of the connecting pipes 3| to the fixed nozzles A, B and C, when the air under pressure passes the orifices connecting the pipes 3| with the fixed nozzles, suction is created in the tapered exhaust orifices l3 and cotton blasted from the rotating distributing nozzle H is drawn into each of the pipes 3| as the exhaust end of the distributing nozzle passes the various exhaust orifices in the face of the distributor housing.

The blast from the fans 32, 33 and 34 force the cotton drawn from the distributor housing into the hinged supply nozzle assembly 36. The said nozzle assembly 36 consists of nozzles 36A, 36B, and 36C which are assembled together by cross member 31 in the manner disclosed in Figs. 11 and 12. The said supply nozzles are reduced throughout the greater portion of their length and enlarged at their inner end as to permit assembly of the said nozzles onto the fixed supply nozzles A, B and C. This assembly is accomplished by inserting a pin 38 through the telescoped fixed and supply nozzles. The said pin bisects the telescoped nozzles and forms a hinged joint, thus permitting the elevation or lowering of the supply nozzles as respects the fixed nozzles, and the connecting arrangement is such that the afixing pin may be readily removed as to permit ready assembly and disassembly of the supply nozzles onto and from the fixed nozzles.

The said supply nozzles 36A, 36B and 360 are assembled as a unit through the medium of a cross member 31, the individual nozzles being attached to the said cross member by an adjustable retainer clamp 42 and adjustment nut and bolt 43 as detailed in Fig. 11.

A ring 44 is positioned equidistant from the ends of the cross bracing member 40, which ring is adapted to receive one end of a rope 45 which passes over a pulley 46 afiixed in the ceiling directly above the hook. A counterbalancing weight 41 is fixed to the opposite end of the said rope so that the nozzle and sleeve assembly may be readliy raised to permit of disassembly of the sleeve unit from the nozzles.

Sleeves 48A, 48B and 480 are provided. The said sleeves are assembled together as a unit by much the same means employed in assembling the nozzle unit 36A, 36B and 360. However, a handle 49 is positioned at a point equidistant from the ends of the cross bracing member 50 as to facilitate the entry and withdrawal of the assembled sleeve unit to and from a pad.

Attention is directed to the sleeve and supply nozzle units disclosed in Fig. 10. These units are adapted to be used for filling pads having alternately large and small pipes. Of a consequence, the unit disclosed has small size nozzles detachably affixed to supply nozzles 36A and 360 whereas the middle nozzle hinged to supply nozzles 36B is of larger diameter. The sleeve unit has correspondingly sized sleeves and the said sleeve unit is adapted to be loaded into the pad by a loading operator.

It is obvious that a lesser supply of cotton must be delivered to the smaller pipes than to the larger pipes in order to prevent the smaller pipes from filling faster than the larger pipes and thus clog the nozzles filling the smaller pipes. To overcome this difficulty, conical shaped tapered plugs such as that disclosed in Fig. 9 are fitted into one of the exhaust orifices leading to each of the smaller supply nozzles, thus reducing the supply of cotton to that nozzle by one-third. If the smaller pipes in the pad are only one-third as large as the larger pipes, then two of the exhaust orifices leading to the smaller pipes are plugged; thus the supply of cotton to the smaller pipes will be reduced by two-thirds.

It is obvious that by providing more exhaust orifices and supply pipes for each nozzle assembly, a greater variation of quantity of filling material delivered to the said nozzle may be had.

To describe the plug more specifically, it consists of a conical shaped hollow metal member 5|, the peak end of which is so formed as to provide a cylindrical aifixing sleeve 52. Both ends of the plug are closed and when pressed into the exhaust orifice I3, the affixing sleeve 52 frictionally engages in the outer end of the inlet pipe 3| in a manner as to firmly afiix the plug in the exhaust orifice I 3. The contour of the exhaust orifice and the plug are such that when the plug is fitted in the said orifice, the closed end presented to the rotating distributor nozzle is flush with the front face of the distributor.

While the drawings only show a three-nozzle unit, it is obvious that the device can be enlarged as to include a sufiicient number of nozzles to take care of a complete pad having, we will say, eight or ten pipes so that a pad may be filled in one operation. However, for the purpose of simplifying the specification, only a threenozzle device is shown. The mold and track, along which the molds are fed to the nozzle, are the same as that disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 709,685 filed February 5, 1934 and, therefore, it is thought not necessary to describe them herein.

The device functions as follows:

Raw cotton is fed into the picker by any of the known mechanical means where it is broken up. Suction from the blast fan 22 draws the said cotton from the picker into the fan and blasts it from the exhaust outlet through the hollow drive member ill to the outlet of the distributor nozzle II, which is rotating at the approximate speed of R. P. M.

The fans 32, 33 and 34 have the same pressure output and as they are driven on a common shaft by a single motor, the air pressure created will be uniform and the suction created in connecting pipes 3| caused by the passage of air under pressure by the inlet orifices will be uniform. Therefore, as the distributor nozzle passes each exhaust orifice, a measured amount of cotton will be drawn thereinto and from thence through the stationary nozzles, supply nozzles and the sleeves to the pad.

The more supply pipes and related exhaust orifices that are connected to the fixed nozzles, the more uniform the supply of cotton to the said nozzles, the reason being that while the flow of material from the picker to the exhaust end of the distributor nozzle may lack uniformity, yet the position of the exhaust orifices in the distributor face is such that uniformity of cotton to the nozzles is assured. To be more explicit, the distributor nozzle during half one rotation may be supplying only half the amount of cotton that it exhausts during the balance of its revolution. However, though the exhaust of cotton from the distributor nozzle be less during half the cycle, that quantity of cotton which is exhausted will be distributed to all three nozzles and, upon comple tion of the balance of the cycle, the increased flow will be distributed uniformly to all three nozzles. Therefore, despite the lack of uniformity in the flow of filling material from the distributor nozzle, a uniform quantity and weight of cotton will divided cotton in more or less uniform quantities to the various sections of the pads being filled, it

will be seen that the stator or distributor housing I0 is provided with an annular series of outlets I3 and that the rotor or distributing nozzle ll successively communicates with these outlets to furnish the cotton suspended in air thereto. That is to say, the rotor II has a passage therethrough constituting a means for the movement of a current of air under pressure and carrying with it the previously divided cotton.

It is illustrated in Figure 1 that the conduits A, B and C, which lead to the pad being filled, are provided with feed pipes leading from the outlets I3. More particularly, each conduit is provided with a plurality of feed pipes communicating with the annularly spaced openings l3 in interspersed relation with the feed pipes of the other conduits. Thus, the How of cotton and the motive current of air is distributed through the various conduits in a series of approximately uniform and successive puffs or impulses.

It is further shown in Figure 1 that each of the conduits A, B and C has connection with its own individual air blast fan so that the air pressure within each conduit is individually augmented to provide for sustained advance of the cotton and at the same time to condense this filling material to some extent for efficient filling of the pads.

It is important to observe that the air blasts from the fans 32, 33 and 34 are in the general direction of travel of the cotton through the conduits A, B and C so that such air blasts create a suction assisting materially in the continued travel of the cotton.

The molds loaded with empty pads are fed along the track to the loading operator. The multiple sleeve units are assembled into the pads and the pads then placed in the mold by the loading operator in the same manner as described in my co-pending application, Serial Number 709,685 filed February 5, 1934 heretofore mentioned. The mold is then rolled to position before the filling nozzles and the sleeve unit is drawn outwardly from the pad as to telescopingly engage the corresponding filling nozzles.

The by-pass valve is then actuated as to permit the flow of filling material to the nozzles and as the cotton is blasted into the rear end of each pipe in the pad, the sleeve unit is slowly pulled away from the pad onto the nozzles, the speed of withdrawal being determined by the speed with which the filling material fills up the pad ahead of the sleeve unit, it being desirable to keep the sleeve approximately an inch away from the packed material ahead of it. As the ends of the nozzle unit approach the outer ends of the various sections of the pad, the filling operator actuates the by-pass and shut-off valve 25 and the filling material is diverted back to the picker.

It is obvious that the apparatus can be so constructed as to have a dual set of filling nozzles so that the filling of pads can be continuous. By dual set of nozzles I am referring to the dual nozzle construction disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 709,685 filed February 5, 1934, which discloses a nozzle assembly, one nozzle being utilized for filling a pad on the upper track and the other on a lower track. However, as that invention is described and claimed in other of my patents and applications, it is not thought necessary to detail the description herein.

The device disclosed herein is extremely flexible in its use. As stated before, the same machine can be used to fill pads having different size pipes merely by changing the supply nozzles and corresponding sleeves, and plugging the proper exhaust orifices in the distributor head as to reduce the supply of cotton to the smaller pipes.

It is further obvious that it is possible to eliminate blast fans 32, 33 and 34, reduce the number of exhaust orifices 13 to the number of pipes in the pad to be filled and connect the said exhaust orifices directly to the nozzle. With this type of construction, greater pressure would be used at the rotating distributor nozzle, said pressure, in addition to blasting cotton into the tapered exhaust orifices, would be sufiicient to force it directly into the pad.

Again, it is entirely possible to eliminate the sleeve and simply slip the pad onto the nozzle. This type of construction necessitates the use of a track and mold construction similar to that disclosed in my Patent Number 1,828,673.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be re-' stricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material having its discharge end movable in an endless path, conduits communicating with said nozzles and opening in said endless path, with which the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, means for moving the material-laden air column through said pipe, conduits and nozzles, and means for condensing the material as it enters said conduits.

2. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material, having its discharge end movable in an endless path, conduits communicating with said nozzles and opening in said endless path, with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, means for blowing the material-laden air through said pipe, and independent pneumatic means for moving the material-laden air through said conduits and nozzles.

3. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material, having its discharge end movable in an endless path, conduits communicating with said nozzles and opening in said endless path with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, means for condensing the material as it enters said conduits, means for blowing the material-laden air through said pipe and independent pneumatic means for moving the material-laden air through said conduits and nozzles from the points of condensation of said material.

4. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material having its discharge end movable in an endless path, conduits communicating with said nozzles and opening in said endless path, with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, means for blowing the material-laden air through said pipe and independent pneumatic means for drawing said material-laden air from the anterior ends of said conduits and forcing it through said nozzles.

5. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material, having its discharge end movable in an endless path, conduits communicating with said nozzles and opening in said endless path, with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe registers, means for condensing the material as it enters said conduits, means for blowing the materialladen air through said pipe, and other means for drawing the material-laden air through said conduits from the said points of condensation and forcing it through said nozzles.

6. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material, having its discharge end movable in an endless path, a housing surrounding the movable end of said pipe, conduits communicating with said nozzles on the one hand, and on the other opening in said housing in said endless path, with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, said conduits being provided adjacent the ends which register with said pipe with means for condensing the material, means for moving material-laden air through said pipe, conduits and nozzles, said housing being formed with an opening for discharging the air surplus created by the condensation of material as it enters said conduits.

'7. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 6, the means for moving the material-laden air comprising a blower for blowing it through said pipe, and pneumatic means independent of said blower for drawing it through said conduits from the points of condensation and forcing it through said nozzles.

8. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 6, the means for moving the material-laden air comprising a blower for blowing it through said pipe, said housing having a back-pass connected in the induction side of said blower for returning to said blower material escaping into said housing from the discharge end of said pipe.

9. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material, having its discharge end movable in an endless path, a plurality of conduits for each nozzle, said conduits being repetitively arranged in said endless path in the same order, with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, and means for moving the materialladen air through said pipe, conduits and nozzles.

l0. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said conduits having means adjacent their points of registry with the discharge end of said pipe for condensing the filling material.

11. Filling apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles for discharging filling material, a pipe for the passage of air laden with filling material, having its discharge end movable in an endless path, a housing surrounding the movable end of said pipe, a plurality of conduits communicating with each nozzle, said conduits being repetitively arranged in the same order in said endless path in said housing with which conduits the discharge end of said pipe successively registers, means for moving the materialladen air through said pipe, conduits and nozzles, means for condensing the material as it enters said conduits, said housing being provided with an opening for discharging the air surplus created by the condensation of said filling material.

12. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 11, the means for moving the material-laden air comprising a blower for blowing said materialladen air through said pipe, and pneumatic means for drawing the material-laden air through said conduits from the point of condensation and forcing it through said nozzles.

13. Filling apparatus as claimed in claim 11, the means for moving the material-laden air comprising a blower for blowing said materialladen air through said pipe, and pneumatic means for drawing the material-laden air through said conduits from the point of condensation and forcing it through said nozzles, said housing being provided with a backpass connected to the induction side of said blower for returning material escaping into said housing from the discharge end of said pipe.

14. The method of filling a plurality of pad compartments which comprises bringing columns of material-laden air into telescoped relation to the compartments, beginning with the ends of said columns adjacent the bottoms of said compartments, causing the ends of said columns to recede from the bottoms of said compartments progressively as the compartments become filled, and supplying the materialladen air in the form of series of puffs.

15. Method of filling a plurality of pad compartments which comprises bringing columns of material-laden air into telescoped relation to the compartments, beginning with the ends of said columns adjacent the bottoms of said compartments, causing the ends of said columns to recede from the bottoms of said compartments progressively as the compartments become filled, and supplying the material-laden air to said compartments in puifs successively and repetitively distributed to said compartments until they are filled.

16. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a stator having an annular series of outlets for finely divided cotton and a motive current of air, a rotor having a passage for such finely divided cotton and the current of air and having a discharge opening movable across said outlets and successively communicating therewith, and a plurality of conduits, each of which is provided with a plurality of feed pipes communicating with said annular series of stator outlets in interspersed relation with the feed pipes of the other conduits.

17. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a distributor having an endless series of outlets for finely divided cotton, a distributor nozzle having a passage for such finely divided cotton and having a discharge opening movable across said outlets and successively communicating therewith, a plurality of conduits for connection with pads to be filled, each of said conduits being provided with a plurality of feed pipes communicating with said series of outlets in interspersed relation with the feed pipes of the other conduits.

18. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a distributor having an endless series of outlets for finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a distributing nozzle having a passage for such finely divided cotton and current of air and having a discharge opening movable across said outlets and successively communicating therewith, a plurality of conduits for the reception of such finely divided cotton and the current of air, each of said conduits being provided with a plurality of feed pipes communicating with said series of distributor outlets in interspersed relation with the feed pipes of the other conduits, and means augmenting the supply of air in said conduits.

19. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a distributor having an endless series of outlets for finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a distributing nozzle having a passage for such finely divided cotton and current of air and having a discharge opening movable across said outlets and successively communicating therewith, a plurality of conduits for the reception of such finely divided cotton and the current of air, each of said conduits being provided with a plurality of feed pipes communicating with said series of distributor outlets in interspersed relation with the feed pipes of the other conduits, and means augmenting the supply of air in said conduits and connected to the conduits at points rearward of the connection of said feed pipes with the conduits.

20. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton furnished thereto in a current of air, a distributor having an annular series of outlets for finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a distributing nozzle having a passage for such finely divided cotton and the current of air and having a discharge opening movable across said annular series of outlets and successively communicating therewith to furnish the finely divided cotton and the current of air thereto, a plurality of conduits, each of which is provided with a plurality of feed pipes communicating with said annular series of distributor outlets in interspersed relation with the feed pipes of the other conduits, and individual air feeding members individually connected to said conduits to individually furnish augmenting supplies of air thereto.

21. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton suspended in a current of air, a stator having an annular series of outlets for finely divided cotton and a supporting current of air, a rotor having a passage for such finely divided cotton and a current of air and having a discharge opening movable across said outlets and successively communicating therewith to furnish finely divided cotton and the said current of air thereto, a plurality of separate conduits having communication with said outlets and having means associated therewith for connection with pads to be filled, and individual air blowing means individually connected to said conduits to furnish separate blasts of air thereto at points between said stator and said means.

22. In a mechanism for filling pads with finely divided cotton furnished to the pads in a current of air, a stator having an annular series of outlets for finely divided cotton and the current of air, a rotor having a passage for such finely divided cotton and the current of air and having a discharge opening movable across said out lets and successively communicating therewith, a conduit having a plurality of feed pipes individually connected with said outlets, and an air blast member connected to said conduit to sup plement the supply of air thereto.

THOMAS L. McJOYNT. 

